Time is Running Out — Don’t Miss Out on these Once-A-Year Deals!
ONLY CYBER SALE of the YEAR
CHANTICLEER says
“THANK GOODNESS, I am a ROOSTER!”
CYBER SALE
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Check out these T.G.I.A.N.A.T. SPECIALS
(Thank Goodness I am Not a Turkey)
SALE PRICES ARE VALID Wednesday, November 23rd until midnight PST Wednesday, Nov 30th, 2022
CYBER SALE – LIMITED TIME
Check out these awesome sales!
Chanticleer Editorial Book Review Package for $370
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Audio Book Reviews are also eligible for Chanticleer’s only CYBER SALE of the YEAR!
Our Book Review Package (Regularly $470) includes SEO, Meta-Data, Tagging, Social Media Promotion, and Publication in the Chanticleer Reviews Magazine. Don’t delay! Be one of the lucky few to get in on this incredible rate.
Receive a $100 discount off CAC23 registration, The Chanticleer Authors Conference package that will take place LIVE and IN-PERSON from the Hotel Bellwether (April 27-30, 2023). USE THIS CODE CACTGZANAT23
Note: This is our 11th Anniversary Conference and you do not want to miss out! Seating is limited, so Register Today!
Learn from the Best at CAC23
Past Presenters include: Cathy Ace, Robert Dugoni, Chris Humphreys, Scott Steindorff, and other insightful and exciting presenters.
Sessions on Fundraising for Authors, Audio Book Creation, Multi-Selling Platforms, Digital Marketing, Expanding Readership, Advanced Writing Craft and Content Creation, Social Media Efficacy, Increasing Sales on Amazon, SEO and Why Authors need Alphabet SOUP, BISAC Codes, and much more.
Multichannel Marketing
and the Business of Being a Writer
The New Era of Content Creation in All Its Forms
Take Your Writing Craft to the Next Level
Use this code upon checkout to receive this $100 discount – our deepest discount for the conference. CACTGZANAT23
Fear often tells us where to use caution, to play it safe, and how to know what’s best. Our favorite way to get a scare is from the books we love to read.
What are the Spookiest Genres?
Knock knock…it’s the villain from the last book you read
Well, there can be plenty of honest debate on the subject. For us, we often find the Paranormal, Suspense, and High Stakes Thrillers are the creepiest stories.
And we can’t forget Southern Gothic—shudders and chills even in a hothouse environment! More on that tomorrow on All Hallows Eve!
Leading the pack is the modern masterpiece Dracul by J.D. Barker and Dacre Stoker featuring vampires including Dracul himself. Dracul is everything horror can and should be. It doesn’t rely on gore, but rather captivating storytelling; and yet, the terror and intrigue are unrelenting.
Of course, we’ve said before that the reasons we like to be scared range anywhere from wanting that rush of dopamine that fright can offer, to better understanding the terrors of modern-day society. What better way to do that than reading some hair-raising literature?
Recommended Reads to Scare you and Make you Think from Chanticleer!
First Place Winner of the Shorts Awards, the art in this is reminiscent of Alice inWonderland, but the focus is much more on depression and anxiety, two of the most difficult things for us to confront in the world.
In the Underwood by Kourtney Spadoni is a memoir in graphic novel form, a thoughtful and gentle story about a young girl struggling with mental health issues, and learning how to keep them at bay as she grows up.
What if Alice’s adventures in the strange and fabulous Wonderland were the result of a mental health crisis instead of a story?In the Underwood draws metaphors inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and evokes the mood of Robert Frost’s classic poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
Author Spadoni relates with a simple narrative and delicate art style how as a child she was prone to severe bouts of anxiety, leading to her crying uncontrollably in her classes and avoiding other children in social situations. Now that can be scary!
A current Short Lister for the 2022 Cygnus Awards, Hartlove’s tale follows a trans woman’s experience fighting the eldritch beings of H.P. Lovecraft. The cover makes it clear! This book will give you the tingles! A great book for social commentary.
Sarah, a transgender schizophrenic teenager, has spent the past seven years in a psychiatric ward. When all her symptoms of schizophrenia disappear after receiving a special necklace from a nurse, she must learn to live in a world that moved on without her, in The Insane God by Jay Hartlove.
She receives strange visions of two opposing gods in battle with each other, which Sarah and her brother Nate work together to understand. The reality of these visions threatens to endanger the lives of everyone on Earth unless they change the course of an eternal battle.
The Insane God touches on topics such as mental illness, mental health, gender identity, and racism.
This Global Thriller First Place Winner was actually written before the COVID-19 pandemic, with eerie echoes into the future of a pandemic apocalypse that focuses on one woman’s mission to reunite with her family.
Nicole Mabry draws from her own life, the impact of a deadly snowstorm, and the subsequent shutting down of the subways to create Past This Point, an action-packed dystopian novel featuring a strong woman who seeks a way out of a world gone mad.
Karis Hylen is working in New York City a massive snowstorm shuts down the city. A total quarantine of the city becomes quarantine for half of the nation.
This suspenseful novel took home a Clue First Place Win for its intricate story where the killer and detective are already acquainted.
The Mask of Midnight by Laurie Stevens centers on a game of cat and mouse, made sinister and horrifying by the intricate plots of a murderer.
When L.A. Police Detective Gabriel McRay arrests serial killer Victor Archwood, known as the Malibu Canyon Murderer, he has no idea that the killer has some serious vengeful plans directly involving him. Archwood is a most clever, resourceful “mouse” who confounds McRay, the Los Angeles Police department, the L.A. district attorney, and an entire jury through skillful lawyering and a commanding interpretation of the evidence. Despite what appears to be an airtight case against a mass murderer, a jury finds him not guilty.
2022 CIBA DEADLINES FOR OCT 31
OZMA – Fantasy Fiction
Global Thrillers – High Stakes & Lab Lit
Paranormal – Supernatural Fiction
The only thing scarier is not entering!
Chanticleer Editorial Services – when you are ready
Did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.
Tools of the Editing Trade
Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).
If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.
We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis.Contact us today!
Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.
Beware! Beware! Tis the season of the great All Hallow’s Read!
What if, instead of giving sugary sweets and candy to each other for Halloween, we gave each other a scary book? That’s what All Hallow’s Read is all about!
A Blank Page! The Writer’s Greatest Fear!
That was an idea Neil Gaiman came up with in 2010 to try and change the focus of Halloween a little bit more scary and a little less cavity-inducing.
Good Omens
Neil Gaiman is a wonderfully prolific author of the weird, spooky, and plain fun. Probably best known for his works, Stardust, Good Omens, and American Gods, all of which have been converted to the screen, Gaiman’s most frightening work is perhaps in his short story collections like Fragile Things and Trigger Warning. He also is the author of the Sandman Series, which was the inspiration for the TV show Lucifer.
For the first All Hallow’s Read, Gamain released an audio short story called “Click Clack the Rattle Bag” which you can listen to in the video below. IF YOU DARE…
Of course, when we heard of this, we couldn’t help but think of Jolabokaflod, the Icelandic tradition of the Yule Flood where books are given for Christmas that we celebrate every winter.
On the theme of spookiness, why do we like to be scared?
The Toys are inside the house!
There are many reasons for this, but it seems to come down to a few key things:
A quick fright can release dopamine, which feels good
Being scared with a group can be a bonding experience
Frightening media can be a way to critique the status quo
Now, one of the key elements to all the fear-inducing possibilities out there – books, movies, haunted corn mazes, and more – is that we know, on some level, that we are actually safe in these situations. That safety net is key in being able to enjoy fear.
That Feel Good Feeling
Honestly, we don’t know much about the exact science behind fear feeling good, so we’ll simply refer to this excerpt from a Psychology Today article:
When we get scared, we experience a rush of adrenaline and a release of endorphins and dopamine. The biochemical rush can result in a pleasure-filled, opioid-like sense of euphoria. Coupled with this, when we are reminded of our safety (i.e., the safety net), the experience of fear subsides, and we are left with a gratifying sense of relief and subsequent well-being.
Group Fright
Eek!
This one may seem counterintuitive but think about it: When you go to a haunted corn maze with a group, part of the joy is getting to overcome the challenges and hardships together.
There’s also the habit of taking a date to the movies. While it’s true your sweetie might clasp your arm for support and protection, that feeling of heightened intensity, coupled with safety and relief, can definitely help both people feel close.
Critiquing the Status Quo
“We need to talk about your behavior”
Thinking of ghosts and haunting, so often brings up the ideas of someone who has been wronged. Eve Tuck and C. Ree going into this beautifully in their piece “A Glossary of Haunting,” but for those who aren’t looking to get into intense academic discourse today, there’s a quicker version of this from USC News:
Stories of ghosts are prevalent in most societies and often carry cultural implications. In the United States, they feature prominently in connection with slavery and the mistreatment of native tribes, like the trope of the American Indian burial ground as an explanation for supernatural events.
Samhain – The History of Halloween
Origins of Halloween date back to the ancient (for about 2,000 years) Celts’ festival of Samhain (pronounced SAH-win). The Samhain pagan religious festival was observed on October 31st until for about 3 days to six days—mid-point between Fall equinox and Winter Solstice. Anyone committing a crime or used their weapons during the festival faced a death sentence. Mischief and mayhem that did occur (tricks) were blamed on fairies, imps, and other worldly beings.
It was believed that during this time that the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred. The festival marked the beginning of the coming winter and the end of the harvest season. In the 7th century A.D., the Catholic Church tried to blend the ancient Celtic rites with All Saints Day. Again, in 1000 A.D., the church tried again to supplant the ancient festival with All Souls Day on November 2nd. But, ancient rites are hard to extinguish. Sources: History.com
Ancient Samhain — Keep those fires lit!
Now that we have a little primer on why we like being scared, let’s get into some book recommendations!
PLAGUE
By C.C. Humphreys
Captain William Coke lives as a thief with a conscience, in C.C. Humphrey’s historical thriller,Plague. Never loading his pistol with anything more than powder, he carefully selects his victims from the wealthy and the pompous. But he soon walks into crimes far more horrific than robbery.
Captain Coke and Dickon, a rescued street urchin, never expected to find their marks slaughtered on the road to London. Coke has never seen a killing like this, not even on the battlefield fighting to restore his king to the throne in the English Civil War. Pitman, a thief-taker, is likewise shocked by the brutality of the murders supposedly committed by the highwayman he has come to see as a gentleman bandit. Now, Pitman will stop at nothing to find Coke, who has become known as the Monstrous Cock after the notorious murder.
PULSE and PREJUDICE: The Confessions of Mr. Darcy, Vampire
By Colette L. Saucier
First Place Winner in Chatelaine Awards
As a wealthy member of the landed gentry, Fitzwilliam Darcy has obligations in Colette Saucier’s mashup,Pulse and Prejudice: The Confessions of Mr. Darcy, Vampire.
Darcy must secure a suitable match for his younger sister, maintain his cool facade of indifference, and live as quietly as possible. He refuses to consider marriage for himself due to his unusual “affliction.” Forced to live a shell of his former existence for the past six years, Darcy relies on his valet, Rivens, for his every need. He shuns most company because Darcy is a vampire. So, when his close friend, Charles Bingley, insists that Darcy accompany him to a country ball, Darcy is loath to accept. When Bingley meets and is immediately captivated with Jane Bennet, Darcy suspects the Bennets are fortune seekers, interested only in finding wealthy matches for the five Bennet daughters, including the fiery Elizabeth, Jane’s sister.
A frantic, distraught father pounds on a bolted chapel door in a small country hospital…. A tiny, two-day-old infant cries in peril…. A deranged grandfather sees demons in every shadowy corner.
The opening scene read like something out of a young parent’s nightmare. Will their child be healthy? Will they grow up to be successful? Will the child be safe in their grandparents’ arms? Questions that any new mother and father ask themselves. In Garvin’sOphelia’s Room, the answers are terrifying.
JUST DIE
By E. Alan Fleischauer
First Place in Paranormal Awards
E. Alan Fleischauer’s lead character holds the power of life and death in his fingertips in the new crime thriller, Just Die.
How would you react to holding the fate of the living in your bare hand? Recovering from his own near-death experience, retired financial advisor Jake Silver attempts to understand his new powers after a stint in the hospital. When he points his bare finger and utters well-worn words, the object of his attention instantly dies.
The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife
By Liese Sherwood-Fabre
First Place Winner in M&M Awards
The game is afoot! It’s years before Sherlock Holmes’ ponderings from 221B Baker Street. Sherlock is a teenager when challenged to solve his first case,The Adventure of the Murdered Midwifeby Liese Sherwood-Fabre.
The stakes are among the highest. Sherlock’s beloved mother is the accused killer when he and his infamous brother Mycroft are summoned home from their boarding schools. The family reunites to a single purpose. They must prove Violette Holmes’s innocence. They soon discover that proving her innocence will not be enough to restore her standing in the court of public opinion. They can only clear her name by also finding the actual killer. That investigation involves a dangerous pursuit that requires detailed observation, logic, and action. Young Sherlock Holmes will also need to watch his back.
The protagonist and all-around decent guy, Boone Daniels, is in a heap of hurt in JW Zarek’s new Young Adult novel,The Devil Pulls the Strings.
One would think being plagued by an evil spirit wendigo since age six would be enough inconvenience to last a lifetime, but when Boone jousts with his best bud at a Ren Faire and accidentally deals a mortal blow, the hurt he experiences suddenly lands on a sliding scale of 1 to 1 million. And Boone Daniels becomes a millionaire, so to speak.
WRITING IS MURDER: An Emlyn Goode Mystery
By Susan Lynn Solomon
First Place in M&M Awards
A perfect seasonal read, Susan L. Solomon’s mystery,Writing is Murder: An Emlyn Goode Mysterydelivers a witty, intuitive red-headed writer who has many connections in her community, a handsome police detective-maybe-lover, a mouthy cat who keeps her grounded, and a Wiccan BFF whom she can trust with her most profound concerns. And, of course, magical abilities inherited from her ancestor, Salem’s legendary accused witch Sarah Goode, adds layers of mystique.
When Roger Frey interrupts Emlyn Goode battling her recalcitrant muse, she can’t be upset. Roger, aka Police Detective Roger Frey, her next-door neighbor and sometimes sleep-over boyfriend, stumbles on the hunt for coffee, a good-morning kiss, and a sympathetic ear, in that order. He’s bored at work and wants to complain.
When you’re ready,did you know that Chanticleer offers editorial services?We do and have been doing so since 2011.
Our professional editors are top-notch and are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style. They have and are working for the top publishing houses (TOR, McMillian, Thomas Mercer, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, etc.).
If you would like more information, we invite you to email Kiffer or Sharon at KBrown@ChantiReviews.com or SAnderson@ChantiReviews.com for more information, testimonials, and fees.
We work with a small number of exclusive clients who want to collaborate with our team of top-editors on an on-going basis.Contact us today!
Chanticleer Editorial Services also offers writing craft sessions and masterclasses. Sign up to find out where, when, and how sessions being held.
A great way to get started is with our manuscript evaluation service, with more information availablehere.
And we do editorial consultations for $75. Learn more here.
If you’re confident in your book, consider submitting it for a Editorial Book Reviewhereor to one of our Chanticleer International Awardshere.
And remember! Our 10th Anniversary Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22) will be April 7-10, 2022, where our 2021 CIBA winners will be announced. Space is limited and seats are already filling up, so sign up today! CAC22 and the CIBA Ceremonies will be hosted at the Hotel Bellwether in Beautiful Bellingham, Wash. Sign up and see the latest updates here!
Writer’s Toolbox
Thank you for reading this Chanticleer Writer’s article.
It’s that time of year, the annual dilemma of what gift to get your favorite author…or the annual dilemma of how to suggest to your family and friends what author-ly gifts you really want this year. Or maybe you are looking for something special to gift yourself this year? We are gonna make it easy–if you are the gifter then use this post as your guide, if you are the giftee, forward this post on to your family and friends as a not-so-subtle hint.
Of course, the old stand by is a notebook and pen, but anyone whose been a writer for any length of time probably has a secret horde of pens and notebooks and other stationary fetishes, and may have had too call a moratorium on the acquisition of more writing implements. Once that happens, it is important to start getting creative. Though, let’s face it–creativity is a key component for giving a gift to a person whose whole life revolves around creativity!
There are so many articles out there already–we really should start with a few of these great resources:
And now we are adding to the already abundant repertoire on the subject (plus throwing in a few bonuses as our gift to gift givers!)
1. An editorial book review
Do you know an author who has published a book or will be publishing a book within the next year? One of the best tools for boosting the success of a book is having an honest and objective editorial book review (what is an editorial book review?). If the book is not published yet, quotes from an editorial review can be used for cover blurbs, and once the book is published it will lend a great deal of legitimacy that can help readers make the decision to buy the book. It is also an expense that, after paying for editing, cover design, printing, etc. an author may have a difficult time fitting into their budget. If the author in your life has a hard time buying it for themselves, why not buy it for them? (some of these gifts require uploading manuscripts, so if you don’t have access to that check out the gift cards in #6).
2. A manuscript overview
Is your favorite writer struggling with the first draft of their novel, or do they need a fresh set of professional eyes? A manuscript overview is one of the first steps of the editing process that publishing houses will use to make sure that the overall story and structure is sound. It’s an evaluation to give the author a sense of where they are strong and where they need work in their story, giving them a guide for how to tackle editing the book. It’s a step indie authors sometimes miss out on. Help out the author in your life by gifting them a manuscript overview.
3. A Book Award
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just give a book award to the author in your life? Well, it doesn’t work that way, but we have the next best thing–a contest entry! It’s also a good low budget option if you started reading this article thinking of just buying a pen and some paper, and the prices on the first two options were way out of your league. Our Chanticleer International Writing Contests and Book Awards come with all kinds of goodies for winners, including a free review, a blue ribbon, digital badges, and even cash for the grand prize winners. The odds are better than a scratch and win ticket if the book is well written and well edited! Why not do something nice for the author in your life and enter their book into our writing competitions!
4. An Author Conference
The Chanticleer Author Conference is an exceptional gift idea for the author in your life. And it’s not your typical authors conference. This is the one for the author who knows everything there is to know about writing craft and now just needs to know how to sell their darned book. We teach actual business skills necessary for any author looking to build an audience and boost their success. And if they won one of our book awards, a ticket to our Awards Gala to walk up to the podium and accept their award is part of the conference package! Buy the author in your life some extra business skills with a ticket to the Chanticleer Authors Conference.
Special Bonus Gift!
Now through midnight on December 31, 2016, we are offering $50 off the current Early Bird rate for the Chanticleer Author Conference for a limited time.
If the author in your life already has an award or a book review from Chanticleer stuff their stocking with a new pack of “Award Winner” stickers to put on their books. Every little thing to make their book stand out on the bookstore shelf will increase book sales. We conveniently have an entire line up of stickers for every type of winner and reviewed book. Put your sticker order in soon! (sorry it might not get there in time for Christmas at this point…but just don’t put the stockings away when you take down the decorations…)
6. Gift Cards from Chanticleer Reviews!
A brand new feature that people have been asking for and we have finally created. Chanticleer Reviews now has gift cards! Order them for the author in your life today! Send us an email with the subject “Purchase a Chnticleer Gift Card” to chanticleer@chantireviews.com.
Thanks for checking out our holiday gift ideas! We love helping authors boost their success. If you are thinking of buying one of these items for the author in your life and need help deciding. Please send us an email with the subject “Help me buy the perfect gift from Chanticleer!” to chanticleer@chantireviews.com.
